PGA Tour Highlights Player Recommendations for Austin Championship

Blades Brown arrives in the Texas Hill Country as the newest winner on the PGA Tour following a playoff victory in Cabo, according to the PGA Tour.

The PGA Tour heads to the Fazio Canyons Course at Omni Barton Creek for the inaugural Austin Championship, offering a 7,451-yard, par-72 layout designed by Tom Fazio in 1999 and recently restored to wind through limestone cliffs and the Short Spring Branch creek, the PGA Tour reported.

Nearly 80 percent of the field in Austin played in Cabo the previous week, creating a direct overlap of 99 players across the two events, according to the PGA Tour. With no prior PGA Tour history at Fazio Canyons, recent form dictates player evaluation; across 25 full-field events at new venues since 2015, a player’s last 24 rounds aligned with results slightly better than at familiar courses, the PGA Tour reported.

Establish The Run noted that the event benefits from strong local ties and sponsor exemptions drawing Texas players, while expressing that they miss the WGC Match Play previously held at Austin Country Club.

David Ford enters the week after finishing fifth in Cabo and gaining strokes off the tee in eight consecutive events, earning a top-20 play recommendation at +164 from the PGA Tour, while GOLF.com noted Ford is No. 1 in the field for strokes gained off the tee over his last 20 rounds.

Seamus Power recorded three top-eight finishes in four fall starts and is targeted in the top-10 market at +340 after firing weekend rounds of 65 and 66 in Cabo, per the PGA Tour.

Chris Kirk leads the field in strokes gained on approach over his last 24 rounds at +1.06 per round, making him a top-10 option at +245 despite making six bogeys and three double bogeys over the final three rounds in Cabo, according to the PGA Tour.

Doug Ghim ranks second in the field behind Ben James in strokes gained per round over his last 24 starts at +1.97, and is selected to win the Austin Championship at +1900, the PGA Tour reported.

GOLF.com Brady Kannon targeted Brian Harman at 33-1 odds due to past success at TPC San Antonio and Eagle Point Golf Club, alongside Zach Bauchou at 40-1 following a strong showing in approach play and scrambling in Cabo. Ben Kohles enters at 45-1 without missing a cut in five months, ranking sixth in the field for scrambling over his last 20 rounds, according to GOLF.com.

Conversely, RotoBaller reported that Daniel Berger returns to competition in Austin after an absence of nearly four months, though his statistics indicate putting struggles, including ranking 121st in strokes gained putting at -0.187 and 144th in putts per round.

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